Energy storage mechanism, as for toys



May 20, 1941, J. SM ITHWICK ENERGY STORAGE MECHANISM, AS FOR TOYS FiledJuly 8, 1938 JAMES SM ITHWICK Patented May 20, 1941 ENERGY STORAGEMECHANISM, AS FOR TOYS James Smithwick, Asheville, N. 0., assignor, bymesne assignments, of one-fourth to Madison Dallas Pickens, Arlington,Va., one-fourth to Francis D. Stephens, Washington, D. 0., and one-halfto William T. Kniesner, Larchmont,

Application July 8, 1938, Serial No. 218,233

18 Claims.

plete enclosure for the means for imparting motion to the body.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a toy includingenergy storage means for storing energy in the motion imparting meansboth of which means are disposed wholly within the body.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a toy having aflexible, resilient, or deformable body cooperating with the energystorage means in such manner that the energy storage means may beoperated by distorting, flexing or compressing the body.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a toy wherein thebody provides for complete enclosure and protection of themotionimparting means and other mechanisms, to present only smooth,resilient and flexible exterior surfaces to prevent damage to a user,and in particular to infant users.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an automotive toywhich is flexible or yieldable, and which is gasproof and water-proof.

Itis a further object of this invention to provide atoy in the nature ofa ball having a flexible, resilient, body of rubber or the like withmeans enclosed in thebody for imparting motion to the ball.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a toy including adeformable body providing full enclosure for motion imparting meanstherefor, and deformable frame means supporting the motion impartingmeans, secured to or closely associated with the deformable body, an

deformable therewith. It is a further object of this invention to createa movable object having an operating mechanism therein, which mechanismis wound, or otherwise set in operation by a compression, or a series ofcompressions upon the body of the object. a

A still further object of the invention is to make a self moving devicein which the operating mechanism therein is supported by aresilientframe and in which energy is given to said mechanism through theexertion of pressure upon said frame and/or the body of said device.

These and other objects and advantages will appear from the followingdescription taken with the drawing. 5

Toys of ball form with motion imparting means therein are well known;however, due to the necessity for winding, or otherwise storing energyin, the motion imparting means in said i toys by the use of strings,keys or toothed rods,

or racks, the enclosure of the motion imparting means has always beenrigid and partial rather than complete. The ball body was, therefore,necessarily provided with apertures for the insertion of energy storinginstrumentalities or for the extension of permanent means, such aswinding keys, from the interior to the exteriorof the body. I

The exposed metallic parts of the motion imparting means were thereforeexposed to the atmosphere and subjected to destruction and loss.

In addition the necessity for using easily lost or misplaced insertableor attach-able instrumentalities such as keys, winding strings and thelike, was a distinct disadvantage. Where such winding instrumentalitieswere permanently attached to the toy they extended beyond the body andconstituted potentially dangerous, unsightly, and awkward projections.The projections rendered the toys dangerous and in some cases, preventedthe use of the toy by infants of early age.

Furthermore, the operations of winding by keys' or insertable racks andstrings were operations incapable of being performed with ease, or byinfants of early age.

By utilizing the principles .of this invention all of the aboveenumerated disadvantages are obviated by so associating the windingmeans with theresilient body that the winding mechanism,

as well as other parts of the motive mechanism, is fully enclosedtherein and sealed against air, water, dirt, etc. the use of attachableand separate Windinginstrumentalities is no longer necessary; all partsof the motive mechanism are disposed Within the resilient ball body andthere is no projection of any part thereof beyond the. ball body; andthe winding operation is accomplished by mere distortion of the ballbody by squeezing, pressing, or pushing, all of which operations arecapable of performance, with ease, by all users, even infants of earlyage.

In its broadest aspect this invention consists in imparting to the ballbody, in addition to its mechanism enclosing function, an additionalfunction in cooperation with the power storage means, or as a means forapplying force to energy storage means or mechanism enclosed therein.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view, in perspective, of an embodiment of the invention asapplied to a flexible ball body, the ball body being indicated in dashlines, and a portion of the mechanism therein being broken away in theinterest of clearness of disclosure;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure1, the supporting frame and ball body being omitted in the interest ofclearness;

Figure 3 is a view of the structure, in elevation, as seen from the sidesubstantially opposite that shown in Figure 1 as indicated by the line3-3, Figure 2, with the winding rack omitted; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view, in elevation, of the mechanism showingthe part of the ratchet mechanism indicated by the line 44, Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing in. detail, and with reference particularly toFigure 1, it will be seen that the ball body I, indicated in dash lines,encloses a flexible frame of skeleton type generally designated 2 whichframe is hereinafter designated the supporting frame or mechanismsupporting frame as distinguished from the hereinafter described motorframe 20.

Supporting frame 2 is preferably formed of flexible and resilient metalmembers, such as wires or flat metal strips 3, which are rigidly securedtogether, as shown, to form a resiliently deformable, flexible, skeletonframework capable of close conformation with the interior surface of theball body I, to which it is secured in any suitable manner as byfriction, adhesive, or mechanical fastening means such as bolts orrivets. If desired, this supporting frame may be omitted and themechanism may be secured directly to the ball body. As shown in Figure lthe frame consists of two circular members fixed at right angles to eachother, and the lower half of the sphere has an additional semi-circularmember secured thereto.

One of the members 3 is provided with a flattened portion 4 havingtherein a bearing bore or aperture 5. One end of the winding racksupporting shaft member 6, is supported for free rotation in the bore oraperture 5, and relative axial movement of the shaft member 6 withrespect to the flattened portion 4 is prevented by means of thrustwasher or collar members I disposed on opposite sides of the flattenedportion 4, and pin members 8 secured to the shaft member 6 adjacent thewasher members I as shown in Figure 3.

Rack stem member 9 is fixedly secured at the upper or outer end thereofto the shaft member 6, and has the main portion thereof, which isoffset, spaced from, and in parallelism with shaft member 6 when saidmain portion will move outwardly under certain conditions with respectto shaft 6. Rigidly secured to and supported by this latter main portionof the member 9 is the rack member ID, provided with teeth II at oneedge. As will be clearly understood, deformation of the supporting frame2 by movement of the flattened portion 4 inwardly, by application offorce substantially in the direction indicated by arrows A, A, willcause inward linear movement of the shaft member 6 and the winding rackor rack member H), which rack member ID is guided in a manner which willbe hereinafter fullyv described. Due to the construction of thesupporting frame 2, application of force substantially in the directiondesignated by arrows B, B, will cause similar compression of the frame 2and consequent inward linear movement of rack member Ill.

The member 3 upon which is the flattened portion 4 and bore or aperture5 is also provided, at a point substantially opposite the bore oraperture 5, with a slot I2. This slot l2 receives the flattened portionl5 of the stationary shaft member M. The stationary shaft member I4 isfixed to the frame 2, against rotation, by cooperation of the flattenedportion [5 thereof with the slot l2, and axial movement of member I 4 isprevented by pin members I6 secured to shaft member 14 at opposite sidesof the connected members 3, as shown in Figure 3.

The stationary shaft l4 rotatably supports, with shaft 6, the motorframe 20, which carries the energy mechanism which, of course, includespower storage means responsive to reciprocation of rack member I lRigidly secured to the upper, or inner end of shaft l 4 is a stationarygear member IT with which a driven crown gear 44 00- operates, ashereinafter described, to cause rotary motion of the motor frame 20substantially about the axis of the stationary shaft member l4. Alsorigidly secured to the stationary shaft I4 are a pair of spaced collarmembers l8 between which is disposed a supporting flange 22 dependingfrom frame 20, which flange 22 is rotatable with respect to thestationary shaft l4, though prevented from movement axially thereon bymeans of the collar members I8.

The motor frame, which is generally designated 20, is preferably stampedfrom a single metal sheet and is provided with a wall 2| in substantialparallelism to a plane common to rotatable shaft member 6 and stationaryshaft member l4.

Wall 2'! terminates at its lower or outer end, in the before mentionedbent up supporting flange 22 which is provided with a bore or aperturethrough which the stationary shaft member 14 extends. Flange 22 isrestrained against movement axially of the stationary shaft M by thecollar members l8, as described above. Also struck out from wall 21 isflange 23 which is provided with a bearing bore or aperture whichsupports the upper, or inner, end of the stationary shaft member I4beyond, or inwardly of, the stationary gear l1.

Extending at substantially a right angle to the wall 2[ and between sidewall 26 and wall 2!, is a wall portion 24 with a slot 25 thereinadjacent its junction with the wall 2|, the side wall 26 being offsetfrom the portion 24 as shown in. Figure 2. Side wall 26 terminates inflange 2''! extending therefrom at substantially a right angl 2 anddisposed substantially parallel to wall 2|.

A bearing bore or aperture 28 is provided in flange 21 which is inregistry with a similar bearing aperture 29 in wall 2| of frame 23,(Figure 2).

Rotatably supported in bearing apertures 28 and 29 is rotor shaft 30which is surrounded by washer 3| adjacent the bearing aperture 28. A pin32 cooperates with this washer and with a spring driven disk member 33to prevent excessive axial movement of the rotor shaft 30 in the bearingbores or apertures 28 and 29, (Figure 2). As will be understood,rotation of the spring driven disk member 33 will cause rotation of therotor shaft 30, in the same direction.

Freely rotatable on the rotor shaft member 30 adjacent the wall 2'! ofthe frame 20 is the winding gear member 34 which has the teeth thereofengaged, on the one side, by the teeth H of the rack member ID, andwhich has the teeth extending, at the opposite side, through the slot 25in the wall portion 24 of the motor frame 20. Winding gear 34 has anintegral offset disk member'35. An elongated spacer sleeve 36 isdisposed between the spring driven disk member 33 and the disk member 35and forms the supporting barrel for the spring 31 which has one endsecured to the disk member 33 and theother end secured to the diskmember 35 as shown in Figure 2.

An edge portion of the wall fl is bent over at 38 to form'a guide forthe rotatable shaft member 6 in its reciprocation.

Secured at one end to the wall 2|, as shown in Figure 2, is a fiatretainer spring member 39 which retains the teeth II of the rack ID inengagement with the teeth of winding gear 34 on the downward or inward(winding) stroke of the rack II. The rack retainer member 39 yields,however, on the upward or outer (return) stroke of the rack Ill topermit the rack teeth I I to pass the teeth of winding gear 34 which isthen held stationary because its unidirectional rotation takes place inthe opposite sense or direction.

The means for maintaining the rotation of the winding gear 34unidirectional or clockwise only as seen in Figure 1, as indicated bythe arrow thereon, is shown in detail in Figure 4 and comprises therectangular loop member 40 having its upper end supported pivotally onthe wall portion 24 adjacent an end of the slot 25 by the bracket member4|. The opposite end of the loop member 40 is constantly urged towardthe wall portion 24, and the teeth of gear 34 which project through theslot 25 therein, by the biasing leaf spring member 42 which is fixedlysecured at one end 43 to the wall portion (Figs. 2 and 4) Outside thewall 2I the rotor shaft 30 has pinned thereto, the crown gear 44, theteeth of which mesh with the teeth of the stationary gear member I1,which is, as described above, rigid on the stationary shaft member I4.Rotation of the crown gear 44, therefore, because of its meshingengagement with the stationary gear II will cause rotation of frame 20,and supporting parts, about the axis of the stationary shaft l4 in thedirection shown by the arrow in Figure 1.

Beyond crown gear 44, the outer, free, end of rotor shaft 30 is bent atan angle and the extremity thereof is provided with a weight member 45,preferably of spherical form, and which swings in an are about the axisof the straight, supported, portion of the rotor shaft 30.

As pointed out above, however, this axis rotates about the axis ofstationary shaft member I4, therefore, the weight member 45 has acompound motion imparted thereto. This compound motion of the weightmember 45 will cause irregular rolling motion of the ball body I which,in seeking to maintain the weight member 45 always at the lowest point,(because of gravitational phenomena) will roll in an irregular andhighly entertaining manner over any surface upon which it is supported.This motion will continue until the spring 3'! becomes so far unwound asto be incapable of causing further motion of the weight member 45.

A notable feature of the above described mechanism is the fact that thespring member 31 may be partially wound by a single downward or inward(winding) stroke of the rack I I, or to any desired degree by continuedintermittent reciprocation of the rack member I I through intermittentdistortion of the ball body I.

' Operation The at rest position of the mechanism is illustrated inFigure 1.

To initiate operation of the ball pressure is applied to the body Isubstantially in either of the directions designated by arrows A, A, andB, B, as described above. This pressure deforms the body I and istranslated into inward linear movement of the rotatable shaft member 6and the fixedly attached rack member II]. The engagement of the rackteeth II with the teeth of winding gear 34 causes rotation of thiswinding gear member 34 in the direction shown by the arrow in Figure 1throughout the downward or inward (winding) stroke of the rack II). Thewinding of the spring 31 will occur during this rotation of the windinggear member 34 and will be accompanied by rotation of rotor shaft 30about its axis and rotation of the frame 2i] about the axis ofstationary shaft member I4.

At the end of the inward (winding) stroke of rack I0, winding gear 34will be restrained from reverse rotation by the means 40, 42 asdescribed above, and the retainer member 39 will yield to permit therack teeth II to pass the teeth of restrained winding gear member 34 asthe rotatable shaft 6 and rack I 9 are drawn upwardly or outwardly tostarting position. The cycle may be repeated until spring 31 is fullywound but the single winding stroke will suffice to store, in spring3'1, suificient energy to cause substantial irregular motion to the bodyI as the weight member 45 describes its orbit about the axis of thesupported portion of the rotor shaft 30 which axis is concurrentlymoving about the axis of stationary shaft I4, as described above.

The favorable ratio of winding permits of energy storage in spring 31despite concurrent rotation of rotor shaft 30 so that it is unnecessaryto prevent movement of rotor shaft 30 and frame 20 during winding.

. It will thus be seen that I have provided motor means including energystorage means, and means for storing energy in the power storage means,which latter means cooperates with the deformable mechanism enclosingbody and is operated by deformation thereof to accomplish the storage ofenergy in the motor means.

It is, of course, to be understood that the above described structure ismerely illustrative of the application of the principles of my inventionwhich is capable of various modifications and that I desire tocomprehend such modifications as are embraced within the appendedclaims, and the invention.

Having disclosed and described a means by which I obtain the objects ofmy invention, I claim:

1. In combination, a fully closed deformable body, mechanism includingan energy storage element supported in said body, and means associatedwith said deformable body and operable by deformation thereof forstoring energy in said energy storage element.

2. In combination, a completely closed. deformable body, springmotormeans supported in said body and including a Winding gear, andreciprocable rack means operatively engageable with said winding gear inat least one direction of movement for winding said spring motor means,said rack means being reciprocable through deformation of said body.

3. In combination, a'completely closed deformable body, spring motormeans supported within said body and including a winding gear, andreciprocable rack means operatively engageable with said winding gear inat least one direction of movement for storing energy in said springmotor means, and means actuable through deformation of said body foreffecting reciprocation of said rack means.

4. In a toy, completely closed deformable body means, motor means in,said body means, rack operable energy storage means associated with saidmotor means, and rack means associated with said deformable body meansand having operative engagement with said energy storage means, saidrack means being reciprocable through deformation of said body means forstoring energy in said energy storage means.

5. In a toy, a resilient hollow body, a mechanism supporting frame insaid body and deformable through application of pressure to said body,motion imparting means supported by said supporting frame, and means insaid motion imparting means responsive to deformation of said supportingframe through application of pressure to said resilient hollow body forstoring energy in said motion imparting means.

6. In a toy, a completely closed deformable body, frame meanscompressible through deformation of said body, motor means includingenergy storage means, weight means swingable by said motor means aboutan axis of said motor means, and means responsive to compression of saidframe means for storing energy in said energy storage means for causingswinging motion of said weight means about said axis.

'7. In structure according to claim 6, means providing operativeconnection between said motor means and said frame means for causingrotation of said motor means relative thereto during said motion of saidWeight means.

8. In a toy, motion imparting mechanism including energy storage means,a compressible body providing complete enclosure of said motionimparting mechanism, and means associated with said compressible bodyand responsive to compression thereof for storing energy in said energystorage means.

9. In a toy, a deformable closed body, motor means in said closed bodyand including energy storage means, gear means rotatable for storingenergy in said energy storage means, and means operative upon distortionof said body for rotating said gear means and storing energy in saidenergy storage means.

10, In a toy, a completely closed deformable body, motor means includingenergy storage means within said body, means responsive to deformationof said body for storing energy in said energy storage means, rotatableshaft means driven by said motor means and having a straight portion anda bent end portion, and weight means on said bent end portion swingablein an are about the axis of said straight portion during rotation ofsaid shaft means.

11. In a toy, a completely closed deformable body, motor means includingenergy storage means within said body, means responsive to deformationof said body for storing energy in said energy storage means, rotatableshaft means driven by said motor means and having a straight portion anda bent end portion, and weight means on said bent end portion swingablein an are about the axis of said straight portion during rotation ofsaid shaft means, and an operative connection between said rotatableshaft and said body for translation of rotation of said shaft foreffecting me'ans into swinging motion of said motor means and said shaftmeans about a fixed axis.

12. In a toy, a completely closed deformable body, motor means includingenergy storage means within said body, means responsive to deformationof said body for storing energy in said energy storage means, rotatableshaft means driven by said motor means and having a straight portion anda bent end portion, and weight means on said bent end portion swingablein an arc about the axis of said straight portion during rotation ofsaid shaft means, and an operative connection between said rotatableshaft and said body for translation of rotation of said shaft means intoswinging motion of said motor meansand said shaft means about a fixedaxis; said last named axis being substantially perpendicular to the axisof rotation of said shaft means.

13. In an automotive toy, a completely closed deformable body, motormeans supported for driven swinging movement about an axis, therein,energy storage means in said motor means; and rotor shaft means drivenby said motor means,

I said rotor shaft means including an end portion disposed at an angleto its axis of rotation, a weight member on said last named end portion,means responsive to deformation of said body for storing energy'in saidenergy storage means,

and means for translating stored energy into swinging motion of saidmotor means and rota-- tion of said rotor shaft means for impartingcompound motion to the weight on the angularly disposed end portion ofsaid rotor shaft means, for effecting movement of said body.

14. In an automotive toy, a substantially spherical hollow deformablebody, motor means'supported for driven swinging movement about an axis,therein, energy storage means in said motor means; and rotor shaft meansdriven by said motor means about an axis substantially perpendicular. tothe axis of swing of said motor means, said rotor shaft means includingan end portion disposed at an angle to its axis of rotation, a weightmember on said last named end portion, means including a flexibleskeleton frame responsive to deformation of said bodyfor storing energyin said energy storage means, and means for translating stored energyinto swinging motion of said motor means about its axis of swing androtation of said rotor shaft means about its axis of rotation forimparting compound motion to the weight on the angularly disposed endportion of said rotor shaft means, rolling irregular movement of saidbody.

15. In a toy, a deformable skeleton frame structure, motor meanssupported within said frame structure and having energy storage meanstherein, and means providing operative connection between said framestructure and said energy storage means for translating deformation ofsaid frame structure into storage of energy in said energy storagemeans.

16. In a device of the class described, a fram including a pair offiexiblecircular members secured together and disposed in planessubstantially normal to one another, a pair of shaft members each havingconnection at one end with one 'of said circular members atsubstantially diametrically opposite points, one of saidshaft membersbeing fixed to said circular member and the other shaft being rotatablewith respect tosaid circular member and secured against .axial movementwith respect thereto, operating body in response to release of energyfrom said motion imparting means.

18. In combination, a distortable completely sealed closed hollow body,and motion imparting means completely enclosed in said body, said motionimparting means including a weight member, means for imparting compoundmotion to said weight member, and means responsive to distortion of saidclosed hollow body for stor- 10 ing energy in said last named means.

JAMES SMITHWICK.

